National Park Service Searching for Missing River Trip Passenger

Grand Canyon, AZ - Search and rescue crews from Grand Canyon National Park are searching for a 48 year old man from Washington State that has been missing from a commercial river trip on the Colorado River since late last night.

The man was reported missing by a guide from Tour West, Inc., a commercial river company based in Orem, Utah, at approximately 12:15 this morning. The call was received by Grand Canyon National Park Dispatchers via satellite phone. National Park Service search and rescue crews began a search at first light this morning at River Mile 118 where the man was last seen. The search includes 10 National Park Service Rangers; four are members of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Dive Team. A helicopter crew from Grand Canyon National Park is conducting an aerial search.

The man and 20 other passengers were on a trip that launched from Lees Ferry on Thursday, September 2nd and is scheduled to take out at Whitmore Wash, River Mile 189, on Monday, September 13th.

Editor's Note: News release was corrected on September 10, 2004 to reflect a change in the takeout date.